Red White Blue Mixed Berry Yum Yum (Printable Version)
Festive layered dessert with fresh berries, cream cheese filling, and shortbread cookie crust.
# What You Need:
→ Fruit
01 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
02 - 1 cup fresh blueberries
03 - 1 cup fresh raspberries
→ Whipped Filling
04 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
05 - 1 cup powdered sugar
06 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
07 - 2 cups whipped topping, thawed
→ Base
08 - 2 cups vanilla shortbread cookies, crushed
→ Garnish
09 - Additional berries and mint leaves (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; beat until fully incorporated. Gently fold in whipped topping until mixture is creamy and smooth throughout.
02 - Sprinkle an even layer of crushed shortbread cookies across the bottom of a glass trifle bowl or individual serving cups.
03 - Spread a generous layer of the whipped cheese mixture evenly over the cookie base, ensuring complete coverage.
04 - Arrange sliced strawberries and blueberries in a colorful pattern over the whipped filling layer.
05 - Repeat the layering process: crushed cookies, whipped filling, and mixed berries until all ingredients are used. Complete with berries as the final top layer for visual appeal.
06 - Garnish with additional fresh berries and mint leaves if desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and layers to set before serving.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- Zero oven time means your kitchen stays cool even when temperatures are climbing outside
- The red, white, and blue layers make you look like you spent hours when assembly takes fifteen minutes tops
02 -
- Dry your berries completely with paper towels before adding them to the layers or you will end up with a watery situation that ruins the creamy texture
- Build this in a clear glass vessel because half the magic is watching people is faces when they see those striped layers through the side
03 -
- Room temperature cream cheese is non negotiable here because cold cream cheese will leave you with tiny lumps that no amount of mixing can fix
- Save your prettiest berries for the top layer because that is what everyone sees first and sets up the whole expectation of how amazing this will taste